Briefs

September 05, 1987

Two-time Cy Young award winner Denny McLain, the last major league pitcher to win 30 games, was released on bond from a federal prison in Talladega, Ala., Friday after serving 28 months of a racketeering sentence. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the conviction last month and ordered a new trial for McLain. McLain, 43, spoke briefly with reporters, saying he had lost about 70 pounds during his prison ordeal, before departing for an undisclosed location. ``The system works. Thank God it works,`` said McLain. The appeals court ruled that McLain was denied a fair trial because of reversible errors made by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Kovachevich and federal prosecutors. The trial court judge`s actions during McLain`s four-month trial were described as sometimes ``disturbing`` and ``ineffective`` by the appeals court. The appellate judges also said McLain`s fair trial rights were jeopardized because a prosecutor ``repeatedly accused Mr. McLain`s counsel of intentionally misleading the jurors and witnesses and of lying in court.``

By a 6-3 vote, the Minnesota Vikings` board of directors has ousted Max Winter as team president and selected Wheelock Whitney to replace him. The board, meeting Wednesday, elected Winter to the new position of president emeritus.

``I`m deeply hurt,`` said Winter, who played a major role in bringing the Vikings to Minnesota and originally hired Mike Lynn as general manager. The vote followed lines of a continuing split on the board. The move was supported by the Lynn-Whitney faction and opposed by Carl Pohlad, Irwin Jacobs and Winter. Winter, one of the Vikings` founders, had been president of the club for more than 20 years. He sold his one-third voting share in the team and other non-voting stock to Jacobs and Pohlad. Apparently there was sentiment among other shareholders that Winter no longer deserved to be president after selling his equity.

New England Patriots head coach Raymond Berry met with Gene Upshaw, executive director the leader of the National Football League Players Association, Wednesday night to discuss why tackle and player representative Brian Holloway was traded, according to the Boston Globe. Although the Patriots would not confirm the meeting, Upshaw said it took place in Washington. Holloway and the union have charged that the Patriots traded Holloway to the Los Angeles Raiders because of Holloway`s union activities. The Pats have denied the charge.

Los Angeles Rams running back Charles White has been charged with being under the influence of a controlled substance and could be sentenced to one year in prison if found guilty of the misdemeanor. He returned to training camp Aug. 26 and is being treated by Dr. Forest Tennant, a drug adviser to the NFL. The Rams have told White that if he fails any of the daily drug tests in Tennant`s outpatient rehabilitation program, he will be kicked off the team. The charge made Wednesday was in connection with an Aug. 21 incident in which the 1979 Heisman Trophy winner from USC was found in a field in Brea, Calif., about 25 miles southeast of downtown.

Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway will sign a guaranteed, six-year, $12.7 million contract next week month that will make him the highest-paid player in NFL history, according to the Denver Post.

The Cleveland Browns have sent an undisclosed draft choice to the St. Louis Cardinals for defensive end Al ``Bubba`` Baker.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have acquired running back Jeff Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for an eighth-round draft choice in 1988, and also signed nose tackle Mike Stensrud, who was waived earlier this week by the Minnesota Vikings.